United defeated Chelsea at the Luzhniki stadium in a dramatic penalty shoot-out. Cristiano Ronaldo had put United in front with his 42nd goal of the season but Frank Lampard hauled Chelsea level with an equaliser on the stroke of half-time.

But the two English sides could not be separated and the final went to penalties.

Chelsea looked to be heading for their first triumph in the competition when Petr Cech saved from Ronaldo.

Captain John Terry only had to score to win the trophy for Chelsea but he slipped as he took his spot-kick and saw it hit a post and go agonisingly wide.

That handed the initiative back to United and when Edwin van der Sar denied Nicolas Anelka, the Reds claimed their third European Cup success.

The first was achieved 40 years ago at Wembley and the second came in 1999 when United scored two late goals to defeat Bayern Munich.

That was also the year they won the FA Cup and the Premier League title to complete an historic Treble - a feat Ferdinand was disappointed they did not match.

United lost 1-0 at home to Portsmouth in the FA Cup but Ferdinand vowed they would return even stronger next season.

"The biggest disappointment of the season is that we didn't do the Treble," said Ferdinand.

"Maybe I'm being greedy but Portsmouth had one shot on goal and we had a lot of chances. But that is part and parcel of playing football and you can't have it all.

"But next season we want to be winners again, we have done the double this year and we want to comeback stronger. I am sure the manager will make moves in the transfer market and add to an already fantastic squad."

Ferdinand, vying for the England captaincy with Terry, had some sympathy for his international colleague, especially as he thought it was all over when the Chelsea defender stepped up to take his kick.

"Of course I feel for John," said Ferdinand. "Someone has got to be a loser on the day and unfortunately it was them. Don't forget we got beat in the FA Cup final last season and so sometimes the boot is on the other foot.

"When John Terry stepped up I thought it was all over because he is a good penalty-taker.

"I've seen him take penalties in training and take them for England before in a shoot-out. He was unfortunate that he slipped but we won the game, so I am delighted.

"I can't really put it into words. Playing for Manchester United is a great achievement in itself. But being able to go up there and be one of the players that has been lucky enough to lift the trophy, puts it into another stratosphere.

"The manager's team talk before the game was brilliant. He said this was the time we had to go out and become champions.

"The manager is the heartbeat of Manchester United. Whatever he says goes. His expectancies are mirrored by ourselves.

"Edwin is a hero really because he saved the penalty. But the penalty-takers on both sides have to have big balls to do what they did.

"This is what you play football for, to be in positions like this to win things.

"Who would have thought as young kids playing football in the school playground on the estates, that you would have the opportunity to come to a Champions League final and win it. It is the stuff of dreams and we are lucky to be living that dream now."

United were far from the better side after the first half-hour and Chelsea hit the woodwork twice as they searched for a winner.

But while Ferdinand admits United rode their luck at times he felt they deserved their victory in the end.

"We should have sewn it up in the first half," he said. "We had many chances but Cech made two fantastic saves and we missed a couple of half-chances as well.

"Then they hit us with a sucker punch at the end of the first half. Drogba hit the post and then Lampard hit the bar in the first half of extra time.

"We rode our luck a little bit but I think in these situations you need that element of luck.

"You get the rub of the green sometimes when you play some good football. In the first half we put together some great attacking football and that maybe got us the rub of the green that we needed to win."